The Mistress of His Manor. Catherine George

mean to put a damper on our evening.’

      ‘Did you search for this friend you mentioned? Do you think he was to blame?’

      ‘No. I simply thought if I could set Rufus’ mind at rest about the friend it would help him recover.’

      She braced herself. ‘What was the name he kept repeating?’

      ‘Joe Logan.’

      Although she’d known, deep down, what his answer would be, the words struck her like a blow to the heart.

      March eyed her with concern. ‘What’s wrong?’

      ‘I’m afraid that’s me.’ She met his eyes bravely. ‘I’m Jo Logan.’

      ‘What?’ March stared blankly.

      ‘I’m Jo Logan,’ she repeated unhappily.

      ‘You said your name was Sutton!’

      ‘No, I didn’t. You saw that in my school book. Sutton was the name of my adoptive parents. When I was thirteen they died, and I came to live with Kate. When she married Jack Logan I took his name.’

      March’s eyes suddenly hardened. ‘So you knew Charles Peel, the driver?’

      Jo nodded miserably. ‘Oh, yes, I knew Charlie. He was my boyfriend at the time. I was supposed to be in the car that night, too, but I wouldn’t set foot in it because Charlie was well over the limit. As usual. I did everything I could to make him see sense, even fought him physically for the keys, but we had such a blazing row he pushed me away and roared off in a rage to pick up a friend. I knew his friend as Red…’ Jo halted, biting her lip.